Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-12-14
interests or of any lack of apprecia-

presses upon us our manufacturers
are asked to surrender something for
the public good, and to avert disas-
ter, their patriotism, as we'll as a
grateful recognition of the advan-
tages already afforded, should lead
them to willing cooperation. No
demand is made that they shall fore
go all the benefits of governmental
regard but they cannot fail to be ad-
monished of their duty as we'll as en-
lightened as to their self-interest and
safety, when, Ahey are reminded of
the fact that financial panic and col
lapse-to which the present condi-
tiOn tends-afford no greater shelter
or protection to our manufacturers
than to other important enterprises.
The opportunity for safe, careful
and deliberate reform is now Offer
ed ; and none Of us should be unmind-
full of time when an abused and ir-
ritated people, needless of those who
have resisted timely and reasonable
relief, may insist upon radical and
sweeping rectification of their wrong.
The difficulty attending a wise and
fair revision of our tariff laws is not
underestimated. 1t will require, on
the part of the Congress, great labor
and care, and especially broad and
national contemplation of the subject,
and a patriotic disregard of such To-
cal and selfish claims as are unreas.
able and reckless of the welfare of
the entire country.
Under our present laws more than
four thousand articles are subject to
duty. Many of these do not in any
way compete with our manufactures,
and many are hardly worth atten-
tion as subjects of revenue. A con.
siderable reduction can be made in
the aggregate by adding them to the
free list. The taxation of luxuries
presents no feature of hardship, but
necessaries of life, used and consumed
by all the people, the duty on which
adds to the cost of living in every
household, should be greatly cheap
ened. The radical reduction of the
duties imposed upon raw material
used in the manufactures, or its free
importation is, of course, an impor-
tant factor in any effort to reduce
the price of the necessaries. and would
not only relieve them from the in
creased cost caused by the tariff on
such material, but the manufactured
product being thus cheapened, that
part of the tariff now laid upon such
products as compensation to our man.
ufacturers for the present price of
raw material, could be accordingly
modified. Such reductions or free
importations would serve besides to
largely reduce the revenues.
1t is not apparent how such a
change can have injurious effect upon
manufactures. On the contrary it
would appear to give them better
chance in foreign markets with the
manufacturers ofother countries who
cheaper their wares by free material.
Thus our people might have the op-
portunity of extending their sales
beyond the limits of home consump-
ton, saving them from the de-
preston, interruption in business
and loss caused by a glutted domes-
tic market, and affording employees
more certain and steady labor and
its resulting quiet and contentment.
The question thus imperatively pre-
sented for solution, should be ap-
preached in spirit higher than par
ty anxiety, and considered in the
light of that regard for patriotism
which should characterize the action
Of those entrusted with the veal of
contiding people.
But the obligation to declare a
party policy and principle is not
wanting to urge prompt and ef-
fective action. Both of the great
political parties now represented in
the government have by repeated
and authoritative declarations con-
demned the tariff which permits the
collection from the people of unnec-
essary revenue, and have in the
most solemn manner promised its
correction, and the deliberate viola
tion of these pledges will not be
condoned. Our progress toward
wise conclusion will not be improved
by dwelling on the theories of pro-
lection and free trade. The ques-
tion of free trade is absolutely ir-
relevant, and the persistent claim
made in certain quarters that all
efforts to relieve the people from
unjust and unnecessary taxation are
schemes of the so-called free traders,
is mischievous and far removed from
any consideration for the public
good. The simple and plain duty
which we owe the people is to re-
duce taxation to the necessary ex-
penses of an economical provision of
the government, and to restore o
the business of the country the money
which we hold in the treasury
through the power of the govern
ment. This can be done with safety
to all our industries, without danger
to the opportunity for remunerative
labor, which our working men need
and with benefit to them, and all
our people by cheapening their
means of subsistence and increasing
the measure of their comforts.
The constitution provides that the
President "shall, from time to time,
give to the Congress information OF
the state of the Union" 1t has been
the custom of the executive, in COM
pliance with this provision, to annu-
ally exhibit to the Congress at the
opening of its session the general
condition of the country, and to de-
tail with some particularly, the Op-
erations of the different executive
departments. 1t would be- especial
ly agreeable to follow this course at
the present time, and to call attention
to the valuable accomplishments of
these departments during the last
fiscal year; but / am so much i'm
pressed with the paramount impor-
tance of the subject to which this
communication has thus far been de-
voted that shall forego the addition
of any other topic, and only urge
upon your immediate consideration
the estate of the Union," as shown
in the present condition of our treas
ury and our general fiscal situation,
upon which every element Of our
safety and prosperity depends.
The reports of the heads of depart
ments which will be submitted, con-
tain full and explicit information
touching the transactions of the busi-
ness entrusted to them, and such re-
commendation relating to the legis-
lation of publicinterest as they deem
advisable. l ask that these reports
and recommendation have the de-
liberate examination and action OF